The lead in the study is Professor Peter Whorwell, who is well known for his work in helping patients with IBS and for his advocacy of Hypnotherapy in helping to treat symptoms. As many sufferers know stress and anxiety can make symptoms much worse and by learning to let go and relax at first, and then to imagine exactly how you want things to be in relation to your gut, you can make a real difference to your life.

So is Skype hypnotherapy an effective treatment for IBS ?

The new study is published in the International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis. This study was with 20 patients who had the hypnotherapy for IBS treatment via Skype and was led by Professor Peter Whorwell a gastroenterologist at Wythenshawe Hospital, The University of Manchester

As reported: “The patients in his study received 12 hypnotherapy sessions in total: the first was face to face with the remaining 11 sessions delivered via Skype. Before the treatment, 65% had severe IBS pre-treatment with the remaining 35% having moderate IBS. After the Skype sessions, 25% of were classed as having severe IBS, 40% moderate IBS and the remaining 35% mild IBS. All the patients enjoyed significant improvements in their IBS symptoms such as abdominal pain, abdominal bloating and bowel function. In addition, other symptoms commonly seen in IBS improved such as nausea, headaches, heartburn, low backache, constant lethargy, chest pain and bladder problems. Quality of life, and any anxiety or depression also improved.”

Interestingly when compared to an earlier study of 1000 patients who had face to face hypnotherapy at the clinic run by Professor Whorwell, the online treatment was only slightly less effective.

You can read all about Professor Whorwell and his work in much more detail here:

This includes all the information about how the NHS in the UK has conducted much more research than you may imagine.

How Could Skype Hypnosis for IBS help me?

One of the advantages of being able to work on Skype is that you can have sessions in the comfort of your own home. The worries about leaving home that can make things worse can be left behind. When I work with hypnotherapy to help people with IBS symptoms I always make sure that they have recordings that they can listen to at home. This can make a really big difference in the way that you are able to learn to let go, visualise and relax. In fact in the study just undertake it was noted that 71% of the subjects said they would not have been able to have the treatment if they needed to travel. This of course also helps more elderly clients who perhaps do not have the mobility of facility to travel as well as younger clients too.

If you would like to read more about Hypnotherapy for IBS you can find out how I work with my clients here: